Corona, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Corona Code of Ordinances § 15.02.070 adds subsection 105.1.3 to the California Building Code as adopted locally, stating that no person, firm, or corporation may erect, re-erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, or demolish any building or structure in the city without first obtaining a valid building permit. Beyond that general rule, the section lists items that always trigger a permit regardless of whether they are part of a larger project: retaining walls over two feet in height measured from the top of the footing, and walls of any height that support a surcharge or superimposed load beyond level natural fill; fences over three feet high built of any material, including wood, plastic, metal, chain link, wrought iron, masonry, block, brick, or stone; signs requiring a Planning Division sign permit under Chapter 17.74, with exceptions for signs painted directly on a building or non-structural refacing; and grading work, which is instead governed by the permit requirements of Chapter 15.36.

The Building and Inspections Division, headed by the Building Official, administers and enforces this permit system under § 15.02.055. Some routine work is carved out by § 15.02.090, which exempts small detached accessory structures under 120 square feet and fences not over three feet high from permitting, subject to Wildland Urban Interface Code setback rules for structures near other buildings. These amendments were most recently readopted by Ordinance 3421 in 2025.